Religious tolerance: Ondo Christians, Muslims brainstorm at Inter-religious Dialogue workshop

The Islamic and Christian religions have charged their followers to shun violence, embrace peace and be religious tolerance for the betterment of the society and the country at large.

The two religions made the call at the One-day Inter-religious Dialogue workshop organised by the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace in collaboration with Ibrahim Olalekan Shodehinde held in Akure.

Theme: Empowering Religious and Community Leaders As Gate Keepers And Champions Towards Addressing Interreligious Conflicts, Peace Building and Conflict Management.

Alhaji Junaid Yunus Olalekan, Special Assistant (Governor’s Office, Ekiti State), who was one of the guest lecturers, said that time had came for Muslim and Christian to change their paradigm of looking each other with animosity and suspicious.

Olalekan, who described the country as multiracial and multicultural, said that the two religions should understand themselves and gives respect to each other religions for peace to reign.

“There is not way we can have a unity society because the world is multidispline, cultural,race but the only thing achievable is to leave within the armpit of mutual understanding and respect.

“And let what we preach in our faith materialize in the way we run our affairs especially in governance.

“We have been having restiveness especially in the norther part of the country where religious taking to another realm of hatred and mutual suspicious which is not an health trajectory.

Bar.Valentine Agubi, HoD, Legal Department, Justice Development and Peace Centre, who charged Christian Faithfuls to see Muslims as their brothers, said that most of the way of the Christianity were not different from the Muslims in term of their believe.

“We need to see ourselves as one because we are one before God. And when you see other person from the other side see them as your brothers and sisters,” he said.

Alhaji Hakeem Yayi-Akorede, Chief Imam of Akure, who applauded the workshop said that the dialogue would go along way to address some misconception about the two religions.

According to him, time has come for both religions to tolerate themselves and show love and shun violence so that the country can move forward.

“There can not be peace among the religious without the sincere interreligious dialogue and love is very important in the society and we need to tolerate ourselves” he said.

Fr Father Aslem Ologunwa, Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ondo State Chapter said that Muslim and Christian do not need to fight themselves over religion rather embrace each other.

Ologunwa, who was represented by the Ref canon Victor Ifeoluwa Adeola, State Assistance Secretary of the CAN said that Christian should employ Muslim faithful in their place of work to put the society forward.

Earlier, in his Opening remarks, Ibrahim Olalekan Shodehinde said the interreligious dialogue was to let people understand that there would be no peace in the community without peace among the religions.

Shodehinde explained that the Interfaith dialogue increase empathetic learning, encourage the values of peace , humanity and compassion that were inherent in all abrahamic faith.

He said that one of the biggest challenges for contemporary society as a whole was violent abuse of religion that threaten peaceful co-existence everywhere.

“I strongly believe that our religions are enriched with traditions with wish we can collaborate such as making peace, protecting the environment, eradicating poverty and ensuring the human dignity of all.

“I can conveniently claim that our religious tradition have the necessary resources to overcome the religious conflict that has almost become incessant on our nation.

“I want all of you to join me say if an individual is not brother in faith, he is definitely my brother in humanity,” Shodehinde said.